Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket, a crucial project for the continent’s space ambitions, is due to lift off on July 9 following years of delays, the European Space Agency said Wednesday.
The system was initially planned to blast off in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic and repeated technical issues have kept it on the ground, depriving Europe of an independent way to send heavy missions into space.
“I am happy to announce that the first launch attempt will take place on July 9,” ESA chief Josef Aschbacher said at the Berlin aerospace show.
“Ariane 6 marks a new era of autonomous and versatile space travel in Europe,” he said.
The launch will take place from French Guiana in South America.
The Ariane 6 was designed to keep up with rising competition in the rocket market including from billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
Its workhorse predecessor, the Ariane 5, blasted off for the last time in July 2023 after 27 years of launches.
© 2024 AFP
Citation:
Europe’s long-delayed Ariane 6 rocket set for July 9 launch (2024, June 5)
retrieved 5 June 2024
from
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no
part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.